


Genuine Need

by NimueOfTheNorth



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Fluff and Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-03
Updated: 2017-07-03
Packaged: 2018-11-23 01:07:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11392173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NimueOfTheNorth/pseuds/NimueOfTheNorth
Summary: It would have been nothing more than Aaron buying Spencer a cup of coffee. Good thing Garcia is there to pull the right strings or those two would be lost.





	Genuine Need

**Author's Note:**

> Spencer’s first piece of dialogue is a quote from Dave Barry that popped up on facebook. Add a little nudge from Daze and this cute little bunny was born.

Spencer was nervously moving from one foot to the other, stretching up on tiptoes ever so often to see why the line was moving slower than the Himalaya grew.

He had wanted coffee and Garcia had dragged him to a new place that had opened right around the corner just last week. Spencer had been on a conference and only arrived back home late the night before due to a storm and cancelled flights. He had then discovered this morning, to his utter devastation, that he had no more coffee at home. (He seriously considered burglars, because how could he had that let happen?!)

Running late already he’d forgone a stop for coffee on the way into the office only to find himself in the grip of Murphy’s law, with the coffee maker in their kitchen broken. His mood had been on a downwards spiral and before he could bite off the head of somebody who didn’t know him well enough to just smile about his pre-caffeine grumpiness, Garcia had staged an intervention.

But now they were standing in line for black ambrosia for more than ten minutes already and had barely just made it through the door.

Spencer was always doubtful about the true qualities of places as hyped as this, usually preferring smaller, more personal places with more attention to the details and art behind their product.

But now finally inside the shop, the smell wafting around him let him perk up in renewed hope that this just might be worth it.

If only there were fewer people between him and the liquid of life worth living.

Fewer people and people with less complicated wishes and a better-developed decision making skill.

He let out a deep, long-suffering sigh. “You know, it is inhumane, in my opinion, to force people who have a genuine medical need for coffee to wait in line behind people who apparently view it as some kind of recreational activity.”

A number of heads turned his way, with looks varying from annoyed and angry to compassionate and amused. His complaint to Garcia might have come out louder than he intended, but he just shrugged it off with a half-smile. It wasn’t like he was drawing his badge, demanding preferential treatment for some bogus reason. Although... the thought had appeal.

The line shuffled forward another few steps as another customer picked up his order.

Spencer didn’t really pay attention as he fiddled with his bag when suddenly a very familiar voice murmured right by his ear, “You’re welcome.”

He snapped up his head but was only looking at the already retreating back of his boss. “Hotch?”

"Dr Spencer Reid?" was called out at the counter that very moment and Spencer was giving himself whiplash snapping his head back and forth between the barista holding up a large, steaming cup of coffee with a questioning expression on his face, and the closing doors his boss had just left through.

“I love you.” The words just slipped out of his mouth before they could fully register.

He was jolted into action by a little push between his shoulder blades. “That’s great, boy wonder, and don’t you think I won’t tease the heck out of you for this juicy confession later, but for now go claim your coffee before someone snags it up.”

He had almost forgotten Garcia was there and was blushing furiously, but hurried to the counter to pick up this unexpected gift.

When he returned from the condiments table he found Garcia waiting by the door. “Don’t you want to get something for yourself?”

“I’m more than happy with my tea back at the office. This little outing was to get fuel for your genius brain and basic human skills. It came with unexpected bonus knowledge though.”

The twinkling in her eyes as she looped her arm around his made Spencer groan, but he was clever enough not to fight battles he couldn't win. Instead, he focused on his very delicious coffee and the fact that Hotch bought it for him.

Garcia let him be and just kept throwing side glances at his utterly smitten smile. This would require careful meddling.

 

* * *

 

Later that day, colourfully decorated fingers placed a stack of cases that might need their attention at some point on Hotch’s desk to familiarise himself with.

“Thank you, Garcia. Anything in there that needs urgent attention?”

"Not work related, no. But you'll definitely want to take a look at the file at the bottom before you leave today." She added a pointed look that had him curious but was out his door before he could ask.

Having learned to trust his eccentric analyst he pulled out the folder at the very bottom and smiled at the single sheet of folded pale pink paper inside. He unfolded it to see what she had in stock for him this time.

 

_Oh Captain, my Captain,_

_the way to the most brilliant, most delectable man’s heart lies hidden in the brew of roasted beans._ _Those who strive to earn this treasure need to act courageously._

 

He read the words again and again, not sure he should actually hope they meant what he wanted them to mean.

Knowing that he would gain no further knowledge by staring at the few handwritten lines, he put the paper back into the folder it came in, picked that up and made his way over to Garcia’s lair, just like it was business as usual and his heart wasn’t beating in his throat.

His plan to be inconspicuous almost failed when he noticed the paper cup from the coffee shop still sitting on Reid's desk, prominently in his line of sight. It must have been empty for hours and there was his normal mug from the kitchen in its usual spot - the maintenance crew had replaced the coffee maker quickly, fearing the wrath of an undercaffeinated genius profiler.

He could only just keep himself from stopping and standing there staring at the innocent paper cup and its possible meaning.

Instead, he forced his feet to move forward on their path to the Oracle Of All Knowledge that hopefully would keep its promise in this particular case.

He didn’t bother to knock, knowing Garcia was expecting him, and just closed the door behind him. “Okay, spill.”

“And what exactly would you like me to talk about?”

“What happened at the coffee shop?” He dropped into the second chair and rolled it close to her own.

“Hmm, I’m not sure I should break a confidence like that.”

“Penelope, you’re killing me here.” He dropped his face into his hands and didn’t care that he was whining. He felt her hands on his shoulders and looked up at her.

“Are you really ready for this?”

“I’m not sure.” He took a fortifying breath and looked into her eyes searching for answers. “But if there’s something, anything, I don’t think I can ignore it.”

“He loves you.”

“What?”

He must have misheard. There was no way.

“That’s what he said, just as you were out of earshot.”

“I bought him coffee, Spencer would make love declarations to anyone if they gave him coffee.” Of course it was nothing more than this, how could it. He shouldn’t get his hopes up, he’d inevitably end up with a broken heart.

“He didn’t mean to say it, it just slipped out. He blushed like nothing I’ve ever seen before afterwards. And you should have seen his smile all the way back here.”

“What kind of smile?”

"Totally besotted smitten freshman kind of smile. Seriously, Aaron, that wasn't just about coffee. Hell, he's probably keeping the bloody cup!"

“It’s still on his desk,” Aaron said without thinking, startling at Garcia’s excited exclamation.

“Yes! See?! I knew it! Come on, Hotch, make a plan, woo your genius and finally put the both of you out of your misery.”

“But... how?” He was hopeless at these things.

Garcia's face softened to an encouraging smile. "Just a small, sweet gesture. Something he can't possibly misunderstand because he's just as bad as you at these things."

“Thanks a lot.”

“Don’t fret, you have me after all. So, your homework for the rest of the day will be to come up with ideas how to approach our baby-G-man and we will discuss their merits tonight at home and settle on the most promising one. Now, shoo, you’ve got thinking to do.”

Aaron narrowed his eyes at her but got up and kissed her on the forehead. With his hand already on the doorknob, he turned back to her. "One more thing Penelope, please stop calling him things like baby in this context. Makes me feel like a dirty old man."

“Oops, sorry. You are not old and Dr. 187 can absolutely handle himself. No pun intended.”

Aaron shook his head in exasperation but felt slightly better. He returned to his office to try and get some more paperwork done and, more importantly, plan operation Woo-Dr-Spencer-Reid.

 

* * *

 

The next morning Spencer entered the bullpen to find someone had gotten to his desk before him. Right in the middle sat yet another large paper cup from the new shop, the fragrant steam softly curling above the small opening in the lid. Beside it was his favourite kind of muffin, not in a bag but on a proper plate. 

He slowly lowered himself into his chair and just looked at the arrangement, not sure what to make of it.

In front of the coffee cup was an orderly stack of sugar packages.

Eventually, he decided that the middle of the bullpen should surely be safe enough to trust an innocent breakfast and took the lid off the cup, inhaling the rich aroma. He grabbed the sugar only to find the little bags were somehow attached to each other.

Lifting the top one he found them taped together with a long strip of paper with a familiar handwriting on it. The first few bags read:

_Would you like to have dinner tonight? With me? I’ll cook. Aaron_

When he reached the last two packages even the large bold letters couldn’t help him trust his eyes.

_I love you too._

He had never taken so long to understand four simple short words.

He was startled by the arrival of Derek. “Hey pretty boy, everything all right? Did you forget how to stir sugar into coffee? Thought you could do that literally in your sleep.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine, just thinking.”

“Well, don’t overdo it so early in the day. We might need that genius of yours later,” he teased and moved on towards his office.

Spencer took one last look at the words on the sugar baggies and then turned to look up to Hotch’s office. The blinds were pulled all the way up and Aaron was standing there, watching him with hesitant hope written all over his face.

It made warmth blossom in his chest and he smiled up at the other man, nodding decisively.

He got an all out, dimple showing, radiant Hotchner smile that made him glad he was already sitting. 

Ducking his head shyly, he looked between his breakfast and the man it had come from and made a quick decision. Popping the lid back onto the cup he carefully stashed the precious sugar packages in his satchel and grabbed cup and plate. Reaching the open office door he simply asked, “Would you like some company?”

Aaron motioned him towards the couch. “Always.”

On the table was a second cup of coffee and a plate with a bagel. Spencer settled his things beside it and took a seat petting the other one to make an obviously nervous Aaron join him.

“I, ehm, I brought you more sugar,” the man in question said and pulled a handful from his pocket.

“And why would I need more sugar?” Spencer couldn’t resist seeing where this was going.

“I thought... Well, I thought you might want to keep the other ones.”

Spencer decided then and there that blushing was a really cute look on Aaron. He leaned over so he could whisper into the other man’s ear. “I already put them away safely. I’d rather drink my coffee unsweetened than ruin that message.”

Blushing plus dimple smile might yet be his favourite combination on Aaron, but Spencer hoped for many more chances to discover more. "You are a bit of a hopeless romantic, aren't you?"

“Probably, yeah.”

They were still so very close that their breaths mingled.

Aaron reached up a hand to cup Spencer’s cheek. “May I? Just this once.”

“Just once?” Spencer furrowed his brows in confusion.

“At the office. I meant just once at the office.”

“Ah, okay.” The relief washed over him and he leaned into the touch. “Go ahead then.”

Aaron was biting his lip as he leaned into Spencer the last few missing inches and pressed their lips together. It was a slow and soft exploration, not quite chaste but not passionate either. A promise of things to come.

When they finally broke apart, Spencer’s hand had found its way into Aaron’s hair and they were leaning against each other all the way.

“Wow,” was all Spencer could come up with.

“Agreed.”

They stayed like this for a moment longer before the grumbling of Spencer’s stomach had them both laughing and starting on their breakfast.

“I feel like I should be mad at Garcia for telling on me, but I can’t.”

“She does have that effect. But we really owe her and her meddling.”

“Yeah. And the need for coffee.” Spencer leaned against Aaron’s shoulder and inhaled the smell of his new favourite brew. He could feel Aaron’s chuckles but didn’t mind the amusement at his expense.

After the morning of mishaps he’d had just the day before, this one was shaping up close to perfect.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I'm implying in this that Hotch and Garcia share a house. No, there will be no explanations for now because this story will tie in with at least two others, one I'm already working on. I'm not the fastest writer and I have too many things in the works, so no promises about when that will get finished.


End file.
